Our skin should always look smooth and radiant, so it is necessary to take care of it. This is especially true for the face, because it is not protected by clothing; during the whole day, dust and other dirt can accumulate on it, clogging the pores, as a result of which pimples, blackheads and other unpleasant inflammations then appear. Instead of getting rid of consequences, it is better to prevent them. This can be done through skin care. We are not talking about daily washing, but about various procedures (masks, peelings, creams) that need to be carried out in order to always remain fresh and beautiful. But any mask or cleansing of the skin will not be effective if your pores are not enlarged beforehand. Otherwise, how to get rid of unnecessary dirt and dust that has accumulated in them? Therefore, before you add beauty, you need to prepare your face. How to expand pores? There are many methods that you can use at home.
Some tips for preparation
- It is important to understand that you need to expand your pores without wearing makeup on your face. If you applied foundation, what good will the procedure do? Cosmetics will only prevent the pores from “breathing”, so step one - wash your face .
- If you decide to steam your skin, you need to be careful with the timing. If you delay the procedure, it will not benefit the skin. , but will only lead to a deterioration in its appearance.
- Do not forget disinfect all instruments with alcohol , with which you will cleanse the skin, otherwise if your pores are open, you risk getting an infection.
- Before using any cleaning product, you must be sure to read the instructions so that the procedure is beneficial.
- If you are not sure that you can properly cleanse your skin yourself, seek help from a specialist at a beauty salon . An experienced cosmetologist will perform this procedure safely and competently. Yes, you will spend more than if you did everything at home. But the condition of your skin will improve, and not worsen due to improper cleansing steps.
- If the question of how to enlarge the pores on your face before cleansing is not relevant to you due to the fact that you have them in an enlarged state every day (applies to oily skin type), it will be necessary to narrow them down . After all, all the dirt and street dust penetrates through open pores, which is undoubtedly harmful to the condition of your skin.
- After the pore opening procedure, do not go outside for at least an hour. , or better yet two or three. It is necessary for them to close in time, so you will avoid new contamination and infections.
Treatment options
The simplest and most straightforward method is a steam bath. Do you remember how many of you in childhood breathed over potatoes when you were sick? So, you need to remember your childhood, because this is a very effective method for preparing your face for cleansing.
First, you peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces. After this, add water and boil the potatoes. As soon as it is ready, the water will need to be drained. After this, place the pan on a surface convenient for you. Sit nearby, lean over the pan, but not close to it, otherwise you risk getting burnt from the steam. Cover yourself with a towel on top.
You need to breathe over the steam from the potatoes for about 10-15 minutes. This way you can quickly and effectively expand the pores on your nose, cheeks, and forehead, without resorting to complex methods.
After this, you can apply the necessary masks or peel, but this must be done immediately, otherwise the pores will close.
In addition to good old potatoes, you can use herbal infusions . For example, calendula, sage or chamomile are good to use. Just pour 25 grams of dry raw material with one liter of water, wait until the broth boils over the fire, then, as in the case of potatoes, cover with a towel on top and breathe over the steam for about fifteen minutes. In addition to the effect of opening pores, herbs will have a calming effect on your skin.
Can be used oak bark . Naturally, you buy it in crushed form. Twenty grams will be enough. Pour boiling water over them (about half a liter). Wait until the broth boils, then breathe over the vapor in the same way. Oak bark is endowed with antibacterial properties, ridding the face of germs and impurities. This is an extremely useful method.
Hot compress
If you don’t want to breathe above steam or this is not at all easy for you, then the next method is especially for you. Steam can easily be replaced with a compress. To do this, take a clean towel, moisten it with hot water and apply it to your face, after washing off all makeup from it. Take a comfortable position, wait until the towel is no longer hot. After that, remove it and wash with warm water. This way you will be able to expand the pores on your nose, forehead, and cheeks before cleaning.
Bath
There is an even simpler option for those who cannot hold their face over hot steam for even a minute, let alone fifteen. Then you just take a hot bath for about 15-20 minutes.
Special cosmetics
In addition to home methods, you can resort to cosmetic ones. For example, purchase a special gel or cream for facial cleansing that expands pores. Typically, such products are not sold in regular pharmacies and mass markets. Most likely, you will have to look in online stores.
Most often, the kit includes not one product, but two. With the first one, you exfoliate your face to get rid of dead cells and sebum. Using the second one, you open the pores. Then wait about ten minutes, covering your face with a special film. This will become a kind of mask that expands the pores before cleansing.
Read the instructions carefully, creams often contain acid, so you should not apply them to the area under and above the eyes, as well as near the lips.
Steam sauna for face
The next option is for girls who prefer a more professional approach to skin care. There is a device called a steamer, or steam sauna. It is sold in specialized stores, where cosmetologists usually purchase it for salon procedures. It's not particularly expensive.
The instructions will tell you how to use it correctly, but usually everything is simple - you pour water into the device, connect it to the power supply, wait for a while, and steam begins to be released from the device. Hold your face over these steams for about fifteen minutes. After this, you already carry out all the necessary procedures to cleanse the skin. Read more about facial cleansing at home →
After you cleanse your face, be sure to tighten the pores.
For example, using a banana mask. Simply mix mashed banana with honey and lemon juice, apply it to your face and wait fifteen minutes. Narrowing your pores is necessary because as long as they are open, your skin is vulnerable to new impurities and germs. Therefore, it is better to clean at a time when you are not going to leave the house, or in the evening (at night). After you have cleansed your skin, apply a moisturizing and nourishing cream.
Take care of your skin and it will always remain smooth and radiant.
Oily skin causes a lot of trouble, because a person is constantly faced with the problem of blackheads and acne, which appear in fairly large quantities on the forehead, nose and chin. Various masks, peeling, and mechanical facial cleansing help get rid of such an unaesthetic “decoration” on the face. However, all of the listed methods and procedures do not give the desired effect if the pores are not opened before using them.
Why enlarge pores?
Trying to get rid of blackheads by squeezing them out without first expanding the pores, you are unlikely to achieve the desired result. In addition, if the pores are not enlarged, you will have to put in more effort, and this will entail a number of negative consequences - you will damage the skin, leave scars on it, and they will either take a long time to heal or will not heal at all. Therefore, in order not to injure the skin and carry out a deeper cleansing of the face, be sure to expand the pores, and only after that begin the cleansing procedure.
Proper pore expansion
Before you begin to enlarge your pores, you must wash off all makeup from your face, because cosmetics will only get in the way. You should also wash your hands with soap and those utensils that you plan to use when cleansing your skin. Next, disinfect the same tools (for example, with perfume or alcohol).
Even oily skin cannot be kept over steam for a long time, not to mention sensitive skin. Normally, 15 minutes are enough to steam your face (sensitive skin will need less time). If you ignore this advice, do not be surprised when you discover a deterioration in her condition. And if you use professional cosmetics for cleansing, never use them without reading the instructions.
Home Recipes for Enlarged Pores
- Take a few small potatoes, then peel them and chop them finely. Pour clean water over the chopped potato pieces and let them cook. When the potatoes are cooked, immediately drain the liquid and take a towel. You need to tilt your face over a pan of potato broth about thirty centimeters from it, then cover your head with a towel so that the steam does not escape from under the towel. Sit in this position for 10 minutes so that the pores can open. Facial cleansing must be done immediately after steaming, otherwise they will close.
- Prepare a herbal decoction by mixing 25 grams of string and chamomile and pouring a liter of boiling water over it all. This mixture must be put on fire and brought to a boil. Let the broth sit for five minutes, then place the container with the broth on the table and repeat everything described above: tilt your head over the container, cover yourself with a towel and wait 15 minutes.
- There is another effective recipe for enlarging pores based on a decoction, but from oak bark. It is easy to prepare, and it has an excellent antibacterial effect, allowing you to get rid of germs during the pore enlargement procedure. So, pour 20 grams of crushed oak bark with 600 milliliters of hot water. Place this mixture over low heat and bring it to a boil. Afterwards, you need to let the broth sit for a few minutes, then remove it from the stove and use it to open the pores. Don't forget to prepare a towel in advance.
- If you don't really want to hold your face above the steam, try using another method. Go into the bathroom and close the door, turn on the hot water and wait until the room fills with steam. When this happens, just stand in the bathroom for a quarter of an hour. During the specified time, the pores on your face will be able to open, and you will then cleanse your skin. By the way, it is recommended to cleanse directly in the bathroom, since the steam present in it will not allow the pores to close.
- Use a mask of oatmeal and baking soda. To prepare it, you need to mix a quarter teaspoon of soda and a tablespoon of cereal, then dilute these ingredients with milk until you obtain the consistency of a thick slurry. The mask is applied to the face, and after 20 minutes it is washed off with warm water.
- The following recipe for a pore-expanding mask consists of honey and olive oil. Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of oil, as well as linden honey. Wash off the mask with a decoction of linden or chamomile. This mask will help soften the skin, nourish it and expand the pores.
What to do after pore enlargement?
After completing the facial steaming procedure, it’s time to move on to cleansing it. And here it is important not to make the mistakes that many people make. For example, it is not recommended to squeeze out blackheads with your fingers. Firstly, such effects are too aggressive for the skin; it is not yet ready for it. Secondly, the plugs that clog the pores on the face are most often hard and quite difficult to remove. The more force you apply when squeezing, the higher the likelihood of injuring the skin.
It is better to use soft scrubs for these purposes. They remove sebum and dead skin particles well, which clog pores. After gentle cleansing, you can steam the skin again. For what? The fact is that when you remove the plugs, after repeated steaming, your skin will become much softer and more pliable for further cleaning. In addition, there will be no pain.
When the face is cleansed, it is important to narrow the pores so that they do not immediately become re-contaminated and blackheads form. Various tonics, masks (including homemade ones) or regular ice will help narrow the pores - you can wipe your face with it. The final step is hydration. The skin must be moisturized, since during steaming the normal water balance is disrupted, which leads to dryness. Just use your moisturizer, it will soothe your skin.
Don't forget, not everyone can use facial steaming to expand pores. This method is not recommended for people with asthma, those with weak lungs, and thin skin. However, you can always use professional products, because they allow you to expand pores using chemical reactions.
To improve the flow of oxygen to cells, it is important to know how to open the pores on the face and remove accumulated oil and dust from them. The procedure, done at home, eliminates signs of inflammation, evens out tone, and gets rid of acne and blackheads. The skin is cleared of greasy shine and begins to breathe fully. As a result, traces of fatigue disappear and the firmness and elasticity of the skin increases.
Why do you need to open your pores?
If you look closely, it's easy to see tiny holes on the face. These are pores that are necessary for the release of sweat and sebum. Improper functioning of the sebaceous glands leads to the accumulation of waste products. Sebaceous plugs are formed in the pores, filled with keratinized particles, dust and fat.
The contents of traffic jams are a breeding ground for bacteria. The inflammatory process contributes to irritation and causes pimples and blackheads.
Pore cleaning is a cosmetic procedure that improves the condition of the skin. A well-executed session:
- stimulates metabolic processes;
- improves blood flow and oxygen access to cells;
- prevents excessive pore expansion;
- destroys pathogenic bacteria;
- removes dirt and grease;
- activates collagen production;
- restores water-salt balance;
- removes toxins from tissues.
Hot steam is used to open the pores on the face at home. After the procedure, it is recommended to scrub and apply a mask.
The main stages of opening and cleaning pores
Before expanding the pores on your face at home, clean it of cosmetics with facial wash or cosmetic milk and wash your hands with soap.
Pour a little baking soda into your palm, dilute with water until it becomes sour cream, apply to the dermis, massage for 2 minutes and rinse. The procedure prepares the face for steaming and helps the pores open faster.
The effect of steam should be moderate and provide pleasant warmth. Otherwise, it is easy to get a burn on the delicate surfaces. The duration of the procedure is 10-15 minutes. This time is enough for the pores to open and the sebaceous plugs to become soft.
Important. Don't forget that steam influence is not for everyone. Sessions are not recommended for girls with dry, sensitive skin and if there is severe irritation, rosacea, or unhealed wounds on the face.
Before cleaning your pores, make sure to carefully observe hygiene rules. Infection easily penetrates into open holes, and the lack of sterility can aggravate the condition of the face. Pores close quickly, so prepare the ingredients for preparing masks and scrubs in advance and use them as quickly as possible after steaming.
Facial steaming
An ancient method to open pores is a bath. Being in a steam room and rubbing the body with a birch broom improves blood circulation and draws out sweat and dirt accumulated on the skin.
At home, you can turn on very hot water in the bathroom, close the door tightly and wait until the room is filled with steam. Go there, drop a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil into the water and stand for 20 minutes. During this time, the pores will open as much as possible and will be ready for the effects of the scrub and mask.
By the way. A simple and effective way to steam your face at home is inhalation. For the session, you can use a regular bowl.
- Decoctions of medicinal herbs deeply open the pores.
- Add a spoonful of chamomile and calendula flowers into an enamel pan.
- Pour in half a liter of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, turn off and cool slightly.
- Pour into a bowl and add 2 drops of lavender essential oil. Lean over the steam and cover your head with a towel for 15 minutes.
- Your face will quickly become covered with droplets of water, steam and become hot. The pores will expand, the sebaceous plugs will soften and will easily come out of their bed.
To deeply open pores, cosmetologists recommend hot compresses. To do the procedure at home, prepare a piece of flannel or flannelette fabric. Soak it in water heated to 45C. Unscrew, fold several times and place on your face. After 7 minutes, apply a new hot cloth.
Removing contaminants
To remove dirt at home, mechanical action is not recommended. By squeezing out comedones with your fingers, it is easy to injure the dermis, cause infection and aggravate your condition.
- Scrubs with abrasive particles provide good results.
- Grind the coffee beans into powder.
- Mix with homemade sour cream in the same ratio.
- Apply to face, paying special attention to the T-zone, and rub in gently.
- After 5 minutes, wash your face.
- Abrasive particles scrape out dirt softened by steam and deeply cleanse the skin.
Attention. If there are acne on your face, it is better to open the pores with a hot compress and cleanse them using gentle methods. Grate the apple and mash the banana with a fork. Combine a spoonful of ingredients and use as a scrub.
Narrowing pores
After cleansing, tighten the pores to prevent bacteria and dust from re-entering. To do this, wipe your face with a herbal tonic or prepare a homemade mask.
- Take a spoonful of dried elderflower flowers and add 200 ml of boiling water. Boil the herb for 5 minutes, turn off and strain.
- Stir a spoonful of honey into a warm broth and add enough oatmeal to make a creamy paste. Lubricate the dermis and leave for 20 minutes.
- The mask increases blood flow to cells, closes enlarged pores and improves the color of the epidermis.
Wide pores can be easily narrowed with cosmetic ice. Prepare the cubes in advance and store in the refrigerator. It is useful to freeze green tea, mineral water, aloe juice, and chamomile infusion. Take a cube with a paper napkin and walk over your face, without staying in one area for more than 2-3 seconds.
Hydration
After intense exposure, the skin needs to recover. This requires nutrition and hydration.
Wear a moisturizer suitable for your epidermis type on your face. After the procedure, do not go outside for 2-3 hours so that the skin calms down.
Home Recipes for Deep Pore Cleansers
At home, visible results are guaranteed by cleansing masks. Activated carbon quickly removes dirt. For maximum effect, apply the mask immediately after steaming.
- Grind 2 tablets into powder, mix with a teaspoon of gelatin.
- Add a large spoonful of cool milk and place in the microwave for 15 seconds or heat in a water bath until the ingredients are dissolved.
- Stir. When the mass has cooled down a little, apply with a brush along the massage lines.
- The product hardens quickly and sets into a film. Feeling the tightening effect, lift the mask near your chin and remove, separating the layers from the skin.
- Removed sebaceous plugs and dirt remain on the inside of the film.
Among the methods for enlarging pores, a soap and soda mask stands out. It gets rid of comedones, acne and greasy shine. Grate baby soap and dilute with a small amount of hot water. Lather and apply to the epidermis. Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda on top. Crystals, interacting with soap, soften plugs and draw out dirt. During the session, a slight tingling sensation is felt. As soon as it disappears, rinse the soap with running water, wipe your face with toner and apply moisturizer.
Important. If the pores are heavily contaminated, it is advisable to apply the mask once every 10 days. As a preventative measure, it is enough to conduct sessions 2 times a month.
The rules for deep facial cleansing at home are shown in the video:
How to save the result
To prevent your pores from becoming clogged with dirt, take proper care of your skin. Buy high-quality cosmetics, do not apply powder and foundation in several layers. This kind of “mask” prevents cells from breathing and promotes the formation of sebaceous plugs.
Wipe your face with toner every day, carry out moisturizing and cleansing procedures 1-2 times a week, using soft scrubs and masks. Wash with cool water and protect the epidermis from exposure to wind and sunlight.
Advice. Use steaming to expand pores 1-2 times a month. Sessions should not be done more often to avoid negative effects on blood vessels.
How to steam your face in practice, watch the video:
Conclusion
The steaming procedure helps cleanse pores and improve the appearance of the epidermis. With its help, it is easy to regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands, improve complexion, and get rid of unsightly acne and blackheads.